Speaker
Prof.
Joshua Winn
(Princeton University, U.S.A)
Description
A distant star appears as a single point of light - yet hidden within that light can be the signatures of an entire planetary system, if you know how to look. Astronomers have found thousands of planets by measuring tiny shifts, dips, and blips in the light from distant stars, using techniques that range from simple geometry and optics to Einstein’s general theory of relativity. This lecture will explain the main detection methods, describe some of the surprising planetary systems they have revealed, and look ahead to the next phase of discovery.